火の時代 Hino Jidai - The Age of Fire
by Youkoulele
Summary: In the world of Daraku, men have inherited part of the power of the gods embodied in a rock: the Hikari. A rare rock, but one of considerable power. Gumi's quest for revenge, a so-called ronin, will lead her to change Hino's destiny forever. (Illustration by TomiokaJiro)
1. Chapter 1 - Last Night

Note : This is the translation of my original work published in french. This story may contain some mistakes, feel free to point them out.

Enjoy your reading!

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**Chapter 1 Last Night**

The gods are dead. They died many ages ago, their existence going from myth to legend. However, they left a legacy to the men, a rock: the Hikari. A rock concentrating some of their divine powers, a rock capable of performing the most unimaginable miracles, A stone of pure and imaculate brilliance. Yet even this great power could not save a man's life.

The wind-swept dead leaves were swirling, while a driving rain was pouring down on the imperial capital. On this stormy night when the sound of cascading water and thunder was deafening, a lone horseman rode through the deserted streets, braving the elements. The sound of galloping through the muddy streets was the only evidence of life in this storm-swept city. Galloping among wooden and paper houses, sometimes with black tile roofs, sometimes with thatched roofs. The horseman stopped in front of the imposing door of the imperial palace and entered the interior. Dressed in his samurai armor, he walked with a brisk but sure step through the dark corridors of the palace, which, with a thunderous thunderclap, cast the imposing shadow of the warrior on the walls. He entered a room lit by a few candles with a bang. A pale man with blond hair was lying on a futon in the middle of the room, surrounded by five healers.

"Father!" he said with a high voice.

He took off his helmet which revealed the long pink hair of the warrior, who was actually a young and beautiful women. The weakened man opened his eyes wide.

"Luka?" He moans.

"Father! I left as soon as I heard the news!" she said in a worried tone, kneeling beside her father.

"Luka, my daughter..." is he struggling to say before he gets a violent cough.

"Father! What's wrong with him?" She asked in a harsh tone as she turned to one of the healers.

"We don't know exactly... we've never seen that before..." replied the healer, confused.

"What do you mean? Her illness cannot be cured?" shouted the young woman, indignant.

"Well... We've tried countless remedies, including the rarest, but none of them have proved effective," the healer confessed.

"And the stone? Have you even tried the stone?" she said.

"The Hikari? Yes... but we can't abuse it. We only used a few fragments," said the healer as he pulled himself together.

"Well, I'll allow you to abuse it! Go get a rock!" She barks.

The healers looked stunned.

"A whole stone?" timidly dropped one of the doctors.

"Execution!" the warrior spat furiously, her eyes shining with nascent tears.

The healers left the room in a hurry, leaving Luka and his father alone. The woman in armour, kneeling at the pale man's bedside, lamented as she held his weak hand. In the large, now empty room, the sobs of the pink-haired girl accompanied the sound of the heavy breathing of the dying patient.

On that harsh autumn night, within the walls of the imperial palace of Kyoten, as the flood was pouring down outside, a man's flame was extinguished. Divine power could not overcome the evil that was eating away at him. Thus, that evening, Taifu no Yohio, head of the Taifu clan and imperial regent, died, raising his daughter, Taifu no Luka, to the head of the clan and the head of the country of Hino.

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As the months passed, the harsh winter that followed gave way to a blazing spring. The cherry trees in bloom coated their most beautiful foliage with a bright pink color. Life took its course in the town of Kurakama. As the sun had passed its zenith, activity was in full swing in the heart of the city. The wide central alleyway was crowded with people, children playing, laughing and hiding in the market stalls, much to the dismay of the merchants selling their products. People crossed each other to the rhythm of the blacksmith's hammer blows. Peasants selling their goods, busy craftsmen, well-dressed aristocrats or simple travelers passing through or looking for hospitality. All this little world was evolving under the watchful eye of the samurai who were watching over order and security. These warriors wore the colous of their lord. They were the loyal samurai of the Sanka clan. The imposing castle of the clan dominated the town, it was the central piece of the clan's domain, a little on the outskirts of the town but positioned on a high position and surrounded by a thick stone wall. In the center of the castle stood the dungeon, several storeys high and immaculately white. Dungeon, itself in height compared to the rest of the castle by these large stone foundations. Flags adorned in a powerful purple with a white symbol representing three triangles, flew proudly in the wind on the curved black tile roofs of the building. This fortress seemed impregnable, as did the countless lordly castles of the different clans that covered the great archipelago of Hino.

In this town a young ronin of about twenty years old and answering to the name of Gumi was wandering around. Her hair was shiny with an intense green color. These short hairs were tied in a bun, letting two green strands run down his face before stopping on his shoulders. She was wearing only a few pieces of clothing. Her neck was covered by a long scarlet-red scarf. Her main garment, dyed a flamboyant orange, is a large, even too large, hakama-shita, a kind of kimono worn for training and combat, a classic garment for a wandering samurai. However, instead of wearing a hakama, a wide combat pant that goes with the hakama-shita, her legs were surrounded by white bandages that went up to his chest, which acted as a bra, his wide hakama-shita exposing the top of her chest. A black belt cut by a white stripe encircled his waist and closed his suit. Finally, at the end of her legs were wide wooden sandals which, when she walked, makes a very distinctive sound. Her safe masculine gait was in harmony with his closed, hard expression. She seemed to be wearing only a katana, hanging on the right of her guard; she was left-handed, something uncommon in the warrior world. She hid her left hand in the jacket of her habit. Her right hand was holding a large blood-red umbrella. This umbrella, which had a banal appearance, actually hid a wakizashi, a smaller sword about forty centimeters long, with the handle of the umbrella acting as a sheath.

Her appearance and her singular behaviour did not attract good looks at her, passers-by avoided crossing her path and her gaze. She didn't care, she wasn't looking for attention anyway, her ambition was greater and on this day of spring, on this day of renewal, her destiny was going to call her.

As she was about to leave Kurakama heading north, passing through an outlying area of the city between town and country, where patrols are scarce, her attention was drawn by cries of aggression. It was clear that the passers-by around her could also hear these calls for help, but they were content to pass by with their heads down. Gumi quickened her pace, she was heading for the origin of the screams.

At the back of a dilapidated house, three robbers held a frail young woman with long turquoise blue duvets under their yoke. Two of the robbers held her, despite the fact that she screamed and struggled furiously while they tied her hands behind her back. The third one, the chief, was standing in front of her, he was a mastodon, he was at least two heads taller than her.

"Look at that, what a pretty little piece of woman," he jubilated with his deep voice, a perverse smile on his face, while holding firmly the cheek of the poor crying girl.

"No! Let go of me or you'll be regretting that!" explored the young woman with her soft voice, but filled with fear.

"Oh? I think we'll rather regret it if we let you go!" he threw crudely, as he lowered his hand to the chest of the girl with the twin tail. His two companions sneered as they finished tying his hands.

"No, I confirm, YOU will regret it if you do not release her!" said the warrior who landed behind the brigands, her umbrella still on her shoulder. The leader of the thugs turned around, surprised. Then he put on a smile that was all the more perverse.

"Well, well, well, pretty girls come straight to us now, huh? That's a pretty dangerous weapon you've got on your belt, tell me. Go and surrender nicely or I'll have to give you a taste of my blade," he said in a confident tone, before he had a grin and put his hand to his crotch. "Well, you're going to taste it anyway! Which one do you like better?"

"Get your hands off me, you pig! Anyway, losers like you don't deserve me to draw my katana. I'll just beat you with this," she replied, brandishing her umbrella with both hands in front of the bandits.

"You little bitch! What are you going to do with your poor umbrella?!" he barked, drawing his poor-quality sword and rushing at the green-haired warrior with a view to striking her horizontally.

While easily dodging the brigand's clumsy attack, the warrior raised her umbrella above her head, pointing behind her. The umbrella fell, revealing the wakizashi. Her opponent being completely offered to her, the latter delivered a powerful vertical blow to his neck, cutting her carotid artery. The blood escaped abundantly, splashing the woman with the blushed wakizashi. The brigand's body fell heavily to the ground along with the umbrella. He only let out a few gurgles of agony before finally succumbing. Gumi wiped the blood from her face, her eyes wide open, her irises naturally green now red, a creepy smile on her face.

"Who's next?"

The two robbers clenched their teeth and their eyes were filled with fear and anger. They looked at each other to agree on a combined attack. They threw the poor turquoise-haired hostage to the ground and drew their razor blades before throwing themselves headlong at the warrior. Back in the fighting position, Gumi gracefully dodged the first attack and then easily parried the second. Wanting to give the two poor swordsmen a chance, she continued to parry and dodge their attacks in what might appear to be a choreographed dance. However, she soon grew tired of this little game and shortened it in the same way she had finished her first opponent. The two bandits fell heavily into the pool of blood that their leader's body had formed. The three bodies were now wading in a bloody pool. The red-eyed warrior methodically wiped her blade, robbed the dead and then turned to the woman on the ground. She had witnessed the whole scene, she was both impressed and terrified by the almost superhuman sword technique of this green-haired woman. Gumi suddenly walked towards her. Panic-stricken and her hands still tied, she closed her eyes and held her breath. The ronin suddenly severed the bonds that the frightened woman had in her hands. She opened her eyes again, the warrior with green eyes and a warm smile held out her hand. She grabbed it hesitantly, Gumi's strong fist took it away, lifting it in one stroke.

"Th-thank you for saving me... I can't imagine what they would have done to me if you hadn't intervened..." she stammered timidly as she came to her senses, but was reassured all the same.

"I have a pretty good idea of what they would have done. But don't worry, they won't be able to point their blades at you anymore," she says mockingly while looking over her shoulder at the bodies on the ground.

The blue-haired young woman followed the warrior's gaze and then turned her eyes away at the sight of the corpses. Slightly nauseated, she put her hand to her mouth. Gumi accompanied her out of this morbid scene, while taking care to retrieve her umbrella. Away from the sight of the corpses the woman with the duvet caught her breath.

"Excuse me... I'm not as comfortable as you are with the sight of..." she blocked, still confused.

"Death?" completed the ronin, sheathed her weapon in her umbrella. The young woman with the twin tails lowered her eyes and nodded, realizing the significance of these words. There was a silence.

"Thanks again for saving me. Is there anything I can offer you? Perhaps you would accept a little hospitality? You must travel a lot," she resumed after the embarrassment.

The warrior was touched, she wasn't used to having someone feel so kind to her, most of the people she saves from this kind of situation thank her austerely when they simply don't run away. What's more, it had been ages since she had stayed in a real house, between the infamous inns and wakes under the stars. She accepted willingly.

"I haven't had a chance to ask you yet, but what's your name by the way?" asked the woman with blue hair.

"Gumi... just call me Gumi. And what is yours?" replied the warrior to the umbrella.

"That's a pretty name!" said the young lady enthusiastically. "My name is Sanka no Miku, nice to meet you!"


	2. Chapter 2 - Ikari

**Chapter 2 Ikari**

Stories and legends tell that before the death of the gods men lived in an Eden, in harmony with nature. A pure world, free from vices and sins. This naturalism proper to the mythological genesis was the favorite theme of many poets and philosophers who dedicated many poems and essays to this ideal of natural purity. This was also Luka's favorite theme when she was engaged in the art of poetry.

Kyoten glowed while the sun was shining at its highest point, hanging from a clear blue sky. Order reigned in the streets of the capital, guards in Taifu colors patrolled in numbers. In the apparent calm of the palace, Luka wrote concentrated and precise poetry lines. It stood in the center of a medium but well decorated room, with a tatami floor and wooden walls. She was facing the only sliding door in the room. Behind it were several medium paper windows that provided the room with subdued lighting. The young woman with pink hair tied in a bun was dressed in a large black dress with large sleeves. The dark color of his clothing masked the possible ink stains that the handling of the brush and inkwell could cause. However, his rigorous and straight technique did not let any splashes escape and produced a magnificent and flawless calligraphy.

Suddenly the quietness of this haven of silence was shattered by two sharp knocks from the door.

"Come in," said Luka in a monotone, still concentrating on his composition.

"Excuse me for bothering you ma'am, I've come to give you my report," Mayu said as she entered the room with a roll of paper in her hand.

She was the Regent's first stewardess, her role was to coordinate the administration of the various departments. She was one of the few people, along with the generals and the empress, who could speak directly with Luka. The fringe of the young stewardess's long blond hair highlighted her eyes colored by pure yellow irises. She wore the typical clothing of senior officials, a kimono-like garment, with the stockings stopping at the ankles but with shorter sleeves. The neutral and monochrome colors of the garb stand out from the colorful and decorated outfits of the rest of the court and the aristocracy.

She stood in front of Luka, mechanically unwound and recited the report while the regent continued her writing, still as focused on her work. The steward concluded, put away her report and her two hands behind her back, thus remaining motionless in front of the poet. Luka noticed that Mayu hadn't left. She pointed out that he was always wielding his brush. Mayu hesitated.

"Luka... I'm worried about you..." confessed the young lady, in a more familiar tone and with her head down.

The woman with pink hair stopped writing and raised her head to look at her interlocutor for the first time.

"Mayu? What's the matter? You don't have to worry about me, you know," Luka replied reassuringly.

In the past the two women were very close friends. It was precisely after his succession to power that Luka promoted his friend to a very comfortable position.

The blonde woman closed her eyes and took a deep breath to finally look Luka straight in the eye and sincerely reveal her feelings.

"I'm afraid you're taking your role too personally. Since you became supreme court minister, your behavior has changed Luka." Mayu marked a pose, noticing the stunned look on her friend's face. She resumed more calmly, her eyes lowered. "You don't go out anymore, you don't come to receptions or banquets, you don't see people anymore... We don't see each other outside of these sessions... I'm really worried about you, Luka."

The young woman with pink hair was speechless, her gaze fleeing from Mayu's, not knowing what to answer.

"You're not your father, Luka, please spare yourself a little..." let Mayu get away with half a word.

The ruler's blood run cold. This remark made Luka jump up and down, letting the brush slip out, and it stained his calligraphy.

"It is my duty to perpetuate her work and to lead the country to greatness!" she said, her fists clenched, her face tinged with a nascent anger.

Mayu was startled, surprised and terrified. She took a few steps back. Realizing his act, Luka wavered a little before hiding his face in his hands.

"Forgive me Mayu..."

She ran to these sides. She took her friend's shoulders.

"Luka! Is everything all right?" she says, worried.

"Yes... Thank you Mayu," said the pink haired woman, taking her hands off her face and coming to her senses. "Excuse me..."

The blonde-haired one let go of her friend's shoulders. Luka turned around and walked to one of the windows in the room while holding his right hand to his forehead.

"This story is too much on my mind – you're right," she says before pausing and taking a breath. "I've even come to believe that her death was not really by chance," she said without noticing.

"Are you saying it was an assassination? But why?" asked Mayu, surprised by these revelations.

"I don't know... I don't understand why someone would murder him. My father's brutal takeover didn't give him lots of friends, but his hypothetical assassins knew full well that I would inherit the position," Luka continued lost in thought. Mayu had noticed it but didn't dare to interrupt him. "But the fact that even a whole stone of Hikari could not save him would indicate that he did not die of a natural disease. The only things the Hikari cannot cure are old age... or an evil itself caused by the stone..." Suddenly realizing her rambling, she turned to her friend.

"Ah! Excuse me Mayu, I got lost in my thoughts."

"Don't worry, Luka..." said the housekeeper sympathetically. But she couldn't help but go back to one of Luka's speeches, "However, you just said a whole stone was used?"

"Ah, I let it slip out... Listen Mayu, you know we can't let this get out. I trust you," said the ruler while approaching the steward.

"Of course, Luka," nodded the official.

"Well... sorry again for what happened..." apologized the poet, still confused.

"Don't worry, Luka. Don't work yourself to death," answered her friend in a reassuring tone.

"You're right. As I have finished drafting the new reforms I should be able to find more time for myself.

No sooner had she finished her sentence than the door slammed.

"Taifu no Luka! What is the meaning of all this?" was thrown across the room by a refined but angry voice.

"Majesty?" said the one in question.

The person who had just interrupted in the room was none other than Empress Karu*. She wore a kimono amply decorated with splendors, ornaments and other rare dyes, her very long sleeves dragged on the ground. But this outfit was in stark contrast to his attitude. She was standing at the foot of the door, straight, looking heavy. What was particularly remarkable about her was her hair, she had long, beautiful hair of an intense red. This remarkable hair coloring was the hallmark of the imperial family.

She advanced towards the Regent. This one, surprised at first sight, let out a sly smile.

"To what do I owe your illustrious visit, Your Majesty the Empress?" recited the supreme minister in a haughty tone as she advanced towards the Empress before bowing slightly before her.

Luka had a perfect command of etiquette, but behind this apparent submission the balance of power was quite different. The imperial power was a facade, the empress was only supposed to be the puppet legitimizing the power of the ruling family, and this long before the Taifu takeover. The former regent clan had been using this system for generations of emperors. However, the puppet seemed to want to cut his strings, the regent said to herself.

"I've just heard about your new reforms. I can't accept them!" said the Empress, much less concerned with etiquette.

"Oh? I apologize your majesty..." said the supreme minister always in a superior tone as she quietly walked around Karu with her hands behind her back towards the door. "Please tell me why you don't like these reforms," she said

Mayu observed the scene, silent, motionless, incredulous in front of the sudden change of character of her friend. There was nothing she could do but attend the staging.

"Stop this little game right now! What is your agenda?"

"I have only the happiness of the people and the prosperity of the country in mind, your majesty," condescendingly told the regent. With these words she slammed the door shut.

"These reforms are necessary for the good of the nation."

"Taxing the people even more heavily, closing down foreign trade, undermining the authority of the clans to seize all the power. Is this the good of the nation?!" the empress became more and more angry as her loose-fitting garments moved with the gesticulations.

Luka fell silent while Karu gritted his teeth, bubbling with rage. The warrior approached the empress menacingly, her face closed, her eyes piercing. She exuded a dominating aura.

"You know what your role is, don't you, Your Majesty?"

The empress's face suddenly filled with fear. Feeling the danger emanating from Luka, Karu took a few clumsy steps backwards, putting his hands in front of her in a vain attempt to stop the threat heading towards her. Luka got to her level. The supreme minister stood a few centimeters from the empress, taller than the latter, her upright posture only accentuated the dominant position of the ruler in front of the frail, frightened-faced monarch.

"I know where I'm taking the country, I know where I'm going. Think rather of the path you are on, Your Majesty."

Impotent, the empress clenched her teeth. She left the room with clenched fists, her long clothes waving in the sandstone of her angry footsteps. Luka was watching her walk away. Once Karu was out of sight, she returned to sit down and face her unfinished poem. Without even looking at her, she addressed Mayu. This one hadn't moved since the altercation.

"You can leave Mayu now," she says in a stoic voice.

"W-well..." stuttered the still relatively shocked housekeeper.

As Mayu was about to leave the room, the director stopped her.

"Oh, and one more thing. Call Mizki for me please."

"Yes... Ma'am," said the housekeeper before slipping away.

Calm and silence returned to the room. The clouds had hidden the sun, giving the place a darker light. In front of the supreme minister, his unfinished poem, stained. Nevertheless, one verse was still visible: 'All obeyed her and with the wind's breath, grass and trees bent.'

_*This is actually the virtual singer CUL, but for adaptation concerns __from the original work in french__, she'__s__ named according to the Japanese pronunciation: Karu._

Gumi and Miku were on their way to Kurakama Castle. The ronin thought that she was incredibly lucky to run into a member of the Sanka clan, and even a direct family member! Indeed, during the journey Miku revealed to his new friend that she was the sister of the chief of the clan, the prestigious daimyo Sanka no Gakupo. The area of influence of the clan was vast, the Sanka's domain was one of the largest in the country, a dozen vassalized daimyos administered this vast territory from various more humble castles spread over the domain. The closer the duo got to the family castle, the more it revealed its imposing aura. The pyramidal structure of the whole was the very metaphor of the hierarchy of power. A first enclosure of raised stone walls accompanied by deep moats constituted a first defensive rampart to the fortress. The passage between the town and the castle was via a single bridge and a relatively imposing gateway. This part directly protected a first courtyard with various buildings relating to the life of the castle: warehouses, forges, guard barracks, servants quarters, etc. All this accompanied by the excitement of these activities. A second enclosure surrounded an upper part of the castle. High steep walls surrounded a second courtyard. These walls were crisscrossed by sturdy white towers with curved tile roofs, similar to the other roofs of the castle buildings. In this enclosure were the administrative buildings and the residences of the stewards and civil servants. Finally a third courtyard was found even higher, also surrounded by thick white stone walls. It housed the buildings of the family's relatives but also the central room of the castle: the keep, the residence of the clan's ruling family. A huge building with several floors and a fine architecture. It was itself raised a few meters by a wide stone foundation.

In front of him, Gumi could not help but feel a childlike wonder accompanied by a hint of nostalgia.

"Here we are! I absolutely must introduce you to my brother and tell him about your exploits!" Miku said enthusiastically as he hurried into the imposing building.

Still bewitched by the splendor of the construction, Gumi nodded and followed her dreamy guide. So they entered the castle. The interior was just as, if not more, sumptuous than the exterior. The entrance led directly to a finely decorated reception room. The murals depicted, in a style worthy of the great masters, the adventures and exploits of the Sanka family. Fine porcelain vases were delicately placed on bases of finely worked woodwork. Two Zen statues, polished and incremented with precious stones, greeted the visitors. On the sides two interior balconies overlooked and lit the room through large windows. Along the supporting posts of these balconies, two rows of aligned samurai armour were facing each other. Some of them looked old and worn out, bearing witness to the clan's war history. The two young women were making their way through the sumptuous room. A figure familiar to Miku appeared from the back of the room through a back door and spotted the newcomers.

"Lady Miku?!" said the maid, hastening towards the woman with the twin tails.

"Ah! Alys!" replied her interlocutor in a cheerful tone.

"What happened to you, Lady Miku? Your beautiful kimono is stained with dirt! You know that your brother doesn't approve of your solitary trips into town, you worry the whole castle every time!"

"I know, I know, I'm sorry..." apologized the young lady, a little embarrassed. "But today I seem to have stumbled upon a guardian angel." she added, smiling towards Gumi.

The servant girl looked at the depraved looking warrior. Not knowing where to stand, Gumi smiled embarrassingly at her. Alys sighed and turned to Miku.

"At least you are safe and sound," confessed the maid in a reassuring tone. "I'll prepare you some new clothes."

"Thanks Alys, can you also go get my brother for me? Ah, and prepare a room for our guest too!"

"Right away, Lady Miku!"

After a few minutes the master of the house appeared in the room. His dignified stature struck Gumi. He was particularly tall. He wore long hair, a deep purple hue, tied in a ponytail. Two long locks of hair stretched along his stern but still young face. He was dressed in a black kimono covered by a white kamishimo, a sleeveless garment proper to the samurai with wide shoulders and worn over the kimono. He wore a finely forged katana to his guard. He walked towards his sister.

"Miku, how many times do I have to tell you to stop disappearing from the castle without warning?" he said in a strict tone.

"Please forgive me, brother," replied the young woman with the twin tails respectfully, while bowing slightly. "I know I'm taking a great risk leaving the castle alone. But..." She turned to Gumi, "If I hadn't met that brave warrior I wouldn't be here to apologize to you." She smiled at the brave warrior as the daimyo's gaze fell on her.

"What do you mean?" asked Gakupo.

Miku recounted the altercation that occurred earlier in the day, witnessing the courage and talent of the warrior. Gumi was embarrassed by so many compliments.

"I see... In that case I owe you my gratitude," Gakupo said sincerely to the ronin while nodding his head.

"Um... You're welcome... my lord..." stammered the young lady.

"Ah, what was I thinking? I haven't properly introduced myself to you yet. My name is Sanka no Gakupo, lord and master of the Sanka clan, pleased to meet you."

"M-me too... my lord. I, uh... am named Gumi..." she was spouting off without an ounce of ease.

"Considering the valor you have shown today, I would be happy to receive you for the night, Gumi." Confessed Gakupo in a warm tone.

"Anyway, I've already asked Alys to get a room ready for him." Added his sister.

Gakupo turned to Miku. He sighed.

"You really are incorrigible..."

Another voice echoed through the room.

"You're going to take in a ronin, my lord?"

The group turned towards the origin of the objection. It came from a samurai leaning against a door in the corner of the room. He wore an outfit similar to Gakupo, although less embellished. His hair was short and deep blue in colour. With his arms folded, he looked defiantly at Gumi, which irritated her.

"Please, Kaito?" replied the daimyo, doubtful.

This samurai was the right-hand man of Gakupo, the second most influential person in the clan after him.

"I think you attribute a little too much merit to this ronin, defeating three brainless brigands... it's within the reach of any disciple!" Threw the warrior as he approached the group.

"She saved me anyway!" Miku objected.

"And I'm very happy about that. Nevertheless, I don't think she deserves so much gratitude."

"So you don't think she's worthy enough to deserve our hospitality?"

"You know about the ronin, if that mediocre swordswoman is wandering, there's a reason for it."

With these words the warrior's blood run cold. She drew out her katana in a flash before pointing it at the slanderer's throat.

"Dare to say another word and the mediocre swordswoman takes your life."

In a martial reflex, Kaito drew her sword and parried the blade of the ronin. He jumped back, and warned himself.

"Wow! that's a firecracker right there!"

"I can't stand you insulting me so easily," replied the ronin with a determined look on her face. The two stood face to face, motionless but on the lookout. The tension was palpable.

"I admit I misjudged you, ronin," conceded the samurai before sheathing his sword and turning around. "However, in order for me to accept your presence tonight, you'll have to prove your worth to me. I'll wait for you outside."

This one withdrew from the room. Miku and Gakupo, taken by surprise by these sudden events, remained speechless. The young nobleman was incredulous while the daimyo remained stoic. After a short flutter the green-haired warrior followed the step towards the exit, her katana still in hand. Miku questioned her:

"You're not going to fight, are you?!"

"He was the one who challenged me," said the ronin, not slowing down a bit.

The young woman with the twin tails on turned to the lord.

"Brother! Stop this madness, they're going to kill each other!" implored the young woman.

"Don't worry, Kaito has no intention of killing her. "

At these words Gumi stopped dead in her tracks.

"And you're not worried that I might kill him?" she threw coldly.

Gakupo smiled.

"He's a tough guy."

The warrior with the umbrella arrived on the courtyard, facing her opponent who was waiting for her with folded arms. The rules were simple: only the katana was allowed as a weapon and the first to disarm his opponent was considered victorious. For the sake of equality, both fighters were not wearing armour. Gakupo and Miku as well as some servants and soldiers were watching from a little further away. A light whistling wind rose as the sun declined in the sky, giving an orange light to the scene. The two warriors faced each other, straight, their eyes determined, looking at each other. They bowed and greeted each other before drawing their weapons.

As soon as their swords were clear, the duellists threw themselves into melee combat. The blows came from both sides, the steel collided in an intense frenzy. The attacks of the two fighters were precise, but so were their parries. Nevertheless, the blue-haired warrior seemed to take the advantage of his experience and discipline. He took advantage of a flaw in his opponent's defense to throw her off balance. Her guard was open and her weapon exposed, so all he had to do was let go of it. Kaito was already rejoicing in his victory, as he was about to make a takeover. He grabs the opponent's sword with his left hand, twisting it around his opponent's wrist to make him let go. Gumi gave in and dropped her weapon, that was the end of it, Kaito had both blades in his possession. Suddenly, in a sudden burst of fury, Gumi uttered a scream of rage and grasped with both hands the very blade of her katana still held by Kaito. With the blade in her hands, she delivered a powerful jab in the belly of the warrior who lost his grip. The green-haired warrior retreats out of reach of her opponent, who is still stunned by the shock and brutal disillusionment of his dazzling victory. The warrior still held her weapon firmly by the blade, panting, exhausted from the previous confrontation. A trickle of blood, as scarlet as her irises, ran down her katana before beading on the dusty ground. Her eyes filled with rage, she took her weapon by the handle, her hands still injured. She screamed again as her blade reddened with her own blood and began to glow with a sparkling light. In a superhuman leap she charged in the direction of her enemy. Surprised by her opponent's sudden rage, Kaito prepared to receive a powerful attack.

All he could hear was the crash of his opponent's body collapsing to the ground.


	3. Chapter 3 - Good Night

**Chapter 3 Good Night**

At the death of the gods a huge fire had raged over the world for seven days. An immense cataclysm like never before. The blinding light of the immense flames made it indistinguishable from night to day. Surrounded by these flames of hell, Gumi was lost.

Lost in darkness, lost in turmoil, the cries of cursed souls twisted her mind, the black fire of despair burned her eyes. Around her, bodies kept falling and blood kept gushing out. Caught in misfortune, the little girl could only cry, in the midst of the flames, blood and tears. Before her, nothing more, except death, which suddenly broke her.

Gumi uttered a dreadful scream and rose to his feet, his body sweating, shaking and burning. A nightmare. The young woman came to her senses as she tried to calm her frightened breath. She was bedridden on a futon in a small room. The window let in the morning rays and the singing of the birds. What had happened? she wondered. A stabbing pain took hold of her hands, which were carefully bandaged. She suddenly remembered. She remembered the duel, she remembered the wound she had inflicted on herself, but most of all, she remembered the rage she felt. She clenched her fists, ignoring the pain. The door opened.

"Ah! You're awake. Good morning! the maid with the blue braid made him warmly."

Surprised at first glance, the young woman with green hair nodded in agreement. She staggered to get up. The maid rushed to her bedside to restrain her.

"Please stay in bed, you're still weak!"

The warrior was still trembling but conceded. She breathed a sigh of abdication. Alys smiled and then left the room, reporting back Gumi's awakening.

The young woman with green hair lay on her futon, staring at the ceiling. All her things were tucked away in the room, her katana, her umbrella, her clothes. All that was left on her was her body bandage. All she could think about was the fight she had fought and the wounds on her palms. She couldn't stop thinking about them, the rage was eating her up more and more, she was powerless against it. This rage would eventually destroy her.

Her thoughts were once again interrupted by the door opening.

The young woman with the turquoise twin tails ran to the bedside of her bedridden friend. She was worried sick. Relieved to see that Gumi was well, Miku asked her what had happened: that glow emanating from her, that surge of energy. Miku was confused, but Gumi remained silent, embarrassed. Miku didn't insist. It must have been something very hard for her, the young woman with the twin tails told herself. A silence fell.

"When do I have to leave?" Gumi whispered shyly.

Miku did not understand the meaning of those words.

"I've lost, I can't stay," said the injured woman.

"You don't have to leave! You're still wounded, there's no question of simple hospitality now!"

The ronin clenched her fists.

"Why are you so worried about me?"

"What... what do you mean?"

The voice of the warrior began to tremble.

"You barely know me. Why do you care so much about me?"

"Well, because you saved me. I owe you so much, Miku said candorously."

The wounded woman's eyes began to grow tears.

"You're not the first one I've saved... Yet you're the first one to reach out to me. Why did you do that?"

Miku took some time before answering. She smiled at her friend and then said with infinite gentleness:

"You know, my brother often tells me that I'm too nice to everyone. But... it's just my nature, I guess. The happiness of others fills me with joy, especially when I owe my life to them."

These words made the young woman with green hair burst into tears. She who had never known anything but unhappiness, violence, destruction, selfishness, anger... These words full of kindness and goodness touched her very deeply. She continued to cry hot tears while Miku comforted her.

The day passed slowly, but once night fell Gumi could not sleep. While the castle was in the arms of Morpheus, the young woman, having recovered sufficiently, got up and silently left the room. She saw the garden outside. It was a cool night, the moon shone brightly in the night sky, illuminating the sumptuous Zen garden with a celestial light. Sitting in front of this spectacle, Gumi felt all the quietness that this place had. The fine sand, the well-arranged rocks, the soft and generous vegetation, but most of all the calm sound of flowing water accompanied by the sound of crickets. All wrapped up under a mantle of warm stars.

"This place is beautiful, isn't it?"

Surprised, Gumi turned around. Gakupo was standing in front of her.

I also like to come here when I can't sleep," he said, sitting next to Gumi. Gumi remained silent and continued to admire the garden. "The night is very cool to be so poorly dressed, you know," he added, pointing to the young woman's outfit, which consisted solely of her body bandage. This spike irritated Gumi.

"Dare to do anything and I swear to you that I..."

"Come on, I wouldn't stoop to such futile impulses. Especially not to my sister's protector."

This intervention cut the young woman off. Her expression went from anger to guilt. She looked at the ground and then let go timidly:

"I'm not a protector..."

"You saved my sister, that's no small thing."

The green-haired woman thought back to her meeting with Miku. The guilt was beginning to overwhelm her. The wind picked up.

"I didn't save your sister... I succumbed to my impulses," revealed the warrior, not without embarrassment.

"What do you mean?" Gakupo asked, intrigued.

"When I heard the cries for help, I didn't run to save a person... but just because I knew that in that case I could face and... kill without being blamed. Anger drives me, the very idea of fighting excites me, I can only find my happiness in violence and death. That's all I can live for..."

As she delivered her guilty speech, once again tears came to her eyes.

"I'm a monster."

Gakupo had listened carefully to the young woman's confession. She looked much softer than when they met. Her hard appearance was actually hiding a very fragile being, he thought to himself. Compassionate, he smiled and said:

"If there was a monster sitting next to me, I'd have cut off its head already."

Gumi looked at him, her eyes shining.

"You can describe yourself as such, but I don't see a monster. I just see a lonely, lost girl," he said reassuringly. He put his hand on the young woman's shoulder.

"Accept my help, I'm ready to welcome you into the clan."

Suddenly overwhelmed, the ronin leapt to her feet.

"You don't know anything about me! I'm not a little girl! I don't need your charity!" She shooted in anger but still with tears in her eyes. She took the step to leave but Gakupo held her at the wrist...

"And what exactly are you planning to do alone?"

"It's none of your business..." she spat angrily.

She pulled herself from the grip of the man with the purple hair. The man stood up and stood still. As the ronin moved away, he threw:

"So you really want to face the Taifu alone?"

Gumi stopped dead.

"...How? How do you know?"

Gakupo began to slowly approach Gumi.

"Few people own a katana forged with Hikari, especially for a ronin. Moreover a thief or a bandit cannot have such a mastery of the sword. You come from a great clan, a great clan that is now destroyed. At least everyone thought so. Am I right, Meiyo no Gumi?"

The warrior remained silent, that was fair. Still in a state of emotion, she addressed the chief of the Sanka clan with her trembling voice without turning around.

"It's my duty to avenge my clan. You can't stop me."

"That's not my preoccupation. But do you really intend to perform this task alone?"

"I, uh..."

Gakupo smiled and held out his hands.

"Let's slice this snake's head off together."

The young warrior turned around. Right in front of her she saw the imposing clan leader bathed in the light of the moon, as if he were surrounded by a divine aura. With his warm smile, his outstretched hand, Gumi was captivated. His anger turned to appeasement, his fear turned to determination and his resentment turned to hope. She, who until then had always been blinded by her anger. Now she was sure it had to be with him. She retraced her steps.

That's how Gumi joined the Sanka clan and became an authentic samurai. Her quest for vengeance against the Taifu clan, the clan that had exterminated her family, was beginning to take on a real dimension and only heralded the great troubles to come.

A gentle spring breeze was blowing over the imperial capital. In the middle of the palace, in the Great Ceremonial Hall, all the great leaders of the imperial and regent family were present. All dressed in their most beautiful and ample ceremonial attire, colourful and glittering, and kneeling in a row on the tatami. In front of this assembly, Empress Karu was also kneeling on a small platform, accompanied by her younger brother Fukase. Today was the ceremony of the handover of imperial power. Ceremony orchestrated by the regent Luka, she stood in the front row, satisfied with the abdication of an uncooperative empress and the rise of a more docile emperor. Karu could not help it, the regent's hold on the court was too great. But he didn't care. It wasn't here anyway that she could make a difference, she thought to herself.

The ceremony began, a long series of ritual practices to which the empress had been trained. At the end of these endless processions, she solemnly declared in conclusion:

"I, Empress Karu, descendant of the goddess Utama on this earth, renounce my divine power on this day and bequeath it to my brother, Fukase."

The whole assembly then turned to the young teenager, not very comfortable in these heavy clothes. And as one man, they all bowed face down and said to the unison, "Long live the emperor. May his reign last ten thousand years".

After the ceremony, in the late afternoon, the notables resumed their daily activities in the palace. As a former empress, Karu still had the right to reside there and enjoy her luxury. A situation very similar to the previous one, although without the divine attention she had received in the past.

For his part, Luka, following the advice of his friend, asked her to accompany him for a walk in the palace garden. Mayu was happy about that. The two friends walked in the immense and sublime garden. A real paradise on earth where a harmonious vegetation rubbed shoulders with a fine and refined architecture. The place exuded a serene atmosphere, the colors of the vegetation were sublimated by the brightness of the setting sun and the sound of the gentle stream of water soothed the soul. The fine petals of cherry tree, which flew in the wind, paved the way for the two young women as they passed under a large torii. Suddenly a beautiful orange butterfly flew past them right in front of their noses.

"This place is really beautiful, isn't it?" Mayu remarked to her friend at the sight of the butterfly.

"Yes... I should come here more often," replied the young woman with pink hair serenely, while continuing to stare at the gentle creature twirling.

The two friends continued their walk in the heart of this welcoming nature. As they walked, Luka started a conversation:

"Mayu, do you know why the butterfly is the symbol of my family?"

Mayu took a few moments to think.

"I have to admit I don't know," she confessed.

Luka gave him an emotional smile.

"_Cover__ed__with__butterflies__ -  
__The dead tree__  
Is in bloom!_"

"You see, going from caterpillar to winged creature, the butterfly symbolizes rebirth, resurrection. The spirituality of my clan conveys this idea of renewal.

With these words a butterfly landed in the palm of these hands. "And I'm sure there will be great changes."

"What a powerful symbol," Mayu said admiringly.

"I hope I'm up to it," replied Luka with a chuckle. The butterfly flew away. "But the balance of this world is so fragile," she completed as she watched the gentle creature rise towards the reddened sun of dusk.

"But aren't you afraid that the reforms will disturb this world too much?"

"The world gonna be disturbed, that's for sure. But I'm not afraid of trouble, I'll handle it."

Mayu admired her friend's determination.

"The people have always suffered misery. I feel it is my duty to bring them salvation," said the Regent confidently.

"But isn't it paradoxical, then, to close down commerce and raise taxes?"

"I believe that in my mission as regent, sacrifices are necessary. A step backwards for two forwards. You see? The people won't be able to enjoy certain goods and will pay higher taxes. However, at the moment it's the rich merchants who have a monopoly on trade and thus exploit the peasants to get rich. As for taxes, it is the lords of the clans who abuse the amount of taxes on their lands as they please. So by closing down commerce and centralizing power I am taking the burden away from the people."

"It's clear-sighted, indeed. But how do we convince the clans to relinquish their powers?"

"Personally, I am in favour of education by example. To keep them docile you need a strong example."

"What example are you thinking of?"

"You'll find out soon enough," Luka replied before turning to a chrysanthemum bed.

As the darkness began to make its presence felt, an official carrying an important message ran up. Former Empress Karu had left the palace with some members of the court, loyal to her. Mayu was rather disconcerted by this news, but the supreme minister did not react. She delicately picked a scarlet chrysanthemum on which an orange butterfly was resting. She slightly sniffed its sweet scent.

"_When the north wind blows - _

_Dead leaves _

_Fraternize in the south."_

\- What do you think of this haiku Mayu?

Haikus composed by:

*Kobayashi Issa (1763 - 1828)

**Yosa Buson (1716 - 1783)


End file.
